Toothpick dispenser



Dec. 31,1929. L. TRNovl-:c

TooTHPIcx DISPENSER Filed March 31. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec; 31, 1929.L. TRNOVEC TooTHPIcK DISPENSER Filed March 3l 1928 2 sneet's'sneet 2 CilPatented Dec. 31, 1929 PATENT OFFICE IiOUIS TRNOVEC, OF WILLOW SPRINGS,ILLINOIS TOOTHPIGK DISPENSER Application led March 31, 1928. Serial No.266,232.

This invention relates to improvements in toothpick dispensing devicesand has among itsobjects to provide a new, useful and sanitary devicewhich is adapted to hold a quantity of toothpicks and which is providedwith manually operable means for delivering or discharging one toothpickat a time from the storage hopper therein. l It is also an object of theinvention to pro vide a delivery 4mechanism for a tooth pickstorageihopper which is arranged to receive and discharge only onetoothpick during each cycle of operation thereof.

Another object of my invention is found in the provision of a toothpiclfeed comprising a `pair of segmental arcuate discharging membersprovided with longitudinally eX- tending integral ledges adapted uponoscillation in one direction to receive a single toothpick and todischarge said toothpick when oscillated in theopposite direction.

`A further object of my invention is found in the pivotal mounting ofsuch arcuate segmental discharging members and inter-con,A necting meanswhereby. such members and their integral ledges are always moved inopposite directions.

A still further object is found in the adapta tion of an arcuatesegmental pivotally mount ed retaining member having an upstandinglongitudinally extending edge and which re taining member is adapted tobe loosely mounted over one of said adj acent discharging members andarranged to positively control the gravity discharge of the toothpicksby retaining the toothpick following the one about to be discharged.`The retaining member being resiliently held against movement in onedirection `and operatively connected to its adjacent discharging member.

` Still another' object of my invention resides in the provision of afourth arcuate'segmental member resilientl 1 held in forward position,loosely mounted over the other of said discharging members and arrangedto move slightly the pressure of its spring in case a toothpick ofabnormal cross section is engaged by the retaining member.

lVith above and other objects in view,

my invention consists in the novel combination,` construction andarrangement of the parts and members shown in the preferred embodimentin the accompanying drawings, described in the following specificationsand particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the illustrations :d

Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a toothpick dispenser embodying myinvention and Fig. 9., is a side elevation thereof with parts broken toshow details.

Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing theinterior thereof7 the feed mechanism being shown in charging position. Y

Fig. 4, is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but with the feedmechanism shownin discharging position.

Fig. 5, is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6, is a cross section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. 4

Fig. 7, is another view similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, butshowing the feed mechanism in normal position after receiving thetoothpick which isabout to be discharged.

Referring now to the several illustrations, a casing 10 is provided ofrectangular cross section having the lower ends 1()A of two oppositewalls deflected toward each other to form a discharge spout having anelongated discharge opening 10B. A pair of plates 11 and 12 are providedto form the bottom of a storage hopper 13 for the toothpicks. The plates11 and 12 also being deflected at their S5 lower ends toward each otherto form an elongated discharge opening 13A substantially in verticalalignment above the casing discharge opening 10B. A cover 10C isprovided for the open upper end of the casing 10.

The casing 10 may be supported or mounted in any suitable way; I havehere shown a curved rod 16 and a base 17 therefor.

A pair of shafts 111 and 15 are provided, which are supported vforoscillation in the side walls of the casing 10. The ends of these shaftsis extended beyond one side of the casing upon which are rigidly mountedintermeshing gear segments 14A and 15A. The

shaft 14; extends beyond the gear segment 14A to receive an operatingwheel 14B.

Within the casing 10 and below the hopper discharge opening 13A, Iprovide a pair of discharging members 18 and 19, rigidly mounted uponrespective shafts 1-1 and 15 and oscillatable therewith. The dischargingmembers comprise segmental arcuate walls 18A and 19^ with integrallongitudinally extending ledges 18B and 19B respectively at adjacentsides thereof and extending the full length of the walls. The walls 18Aand 19A are provided at their ends with downwardly disposed integralears 18C and'19C which rigidly engage their respective shafts 111 and15.

A second pair of members 20 and 21 are provided which I term retainingmembers, as their function is the retaining of the toothpicks followingthe one engaged by the discharging members. The retaining members 2O and21 are formed with respectively arcuate segmental walls 20A and 21Awhich overlay the walls 18A and 19A and which are also provided withdownwardly disposed integral ears respectively 20C and 21C. The ears 20Cand 21C being however loosely mounted on the shafts 14 and 15.

. The wall 21A is provided with an integral upstanding edge 21B adaptedto engage and retain a follower toothpick against the wall 20A duringthe discharge operation of the members 18 and 19.

The retaining members are held in operative position by means of leafsprings 22.

When the discharging members 18 and 19 are moved to their uppermostposition as shown in Fig. 3, the edge 2113 will be raised to permit thefollower toothpick to fall upon the ledges 18B and 19B. The movement ofthe member 21 and its edge 2113 to such upper position is made possibleby the provision of the pin 19D mounted within the wall 19A whichoperates within the slot 21D of the member 21. lVhen the wheel 14B isturned to move the members 18 and 19 upwardly,

the pin 19D will at a certain time reach the end of the slot 21D andcause an oscillation of the member 21 toward the right (as viewed inFigs. 3 and et) against the pressure of spring 22 which is attachedthereto and when the hand wheel 14B is released the spring 22 will causea reverse movement of the member 21 to thereby engage a followertoothpick by the edge 21B and retain same against the wall 20A of themember 20, and during such movement, the members 18 and 19 will bebrought into neutral position as shown in Fig. 7, with a toothpicksupported on the ledges 18B and 19B in position to be discharged, whichmay readily be done by movement of the handwheel 14B to cause a downwardand separating movement of the ledges 18B and 19B, as shown in Fig. 4.An opposite oscillation of the handwheel 14B will then again bring theparts and members to their positions shown in Fig. 7, where the next orfollower toothpick is released for passage onto the ledges 18B and 19Bof the discharging members 18 and 19.

It may here be stated that if a toothpick of abnormal oversize crosssection should be engaged by the retaining edge 21B, the member 2O beingloosely supported on shaft 14 and resiliently held in position, willreadily give and thus avoid any inoperation of the discharging members18 and 19 when moved into discharging position with the pin 19D in theopposite end of the slot 21D pressing against the member 21 to retainthe follower toothpick.

An agitator and toothpick straightener is provided in the form of anarcuate plate 23 having an integral side 23A bent angularly to form anarm pivotally and rigidly mounted on the shaft 24 on one end of which isrigidly mounted the operating arm 25. The arm 25 is provided with a slot25A. The gear segment 14A is provided with an integral extension 14Chaving a pin 14D which engages within this slot 25A to thereby cause anoscillation of the arm 25 and plate 23 through the masls of toothpickswhen the device is operatec.

A cover 26 may be provided over the gear segments 111A and 15A and arm25.

l claim:

1. A toothpick dispensing device including a storage hopper for thetoothpiclrs having an elongated discharge opening, a manually operablefeed mechanism oscillatably supported below said hopper dischargeopening comprising a pair of coacting supports adapted upon oscillationin one direction to receive a. single toothpick from said hopper openingand to discharge said single toothpick upon a reverse oscillationthereof7 and means for retaining the toothpick adjacent to the one to bedischarged in a position to be received by said coacting supports uponthe discharge of the toothpick supported thereon and the return of saidcoacting supports into receiving position.

2. A toothpick dispensing device including a toothpiclr storage hopperhaving an elongated discharge opening, a manually operable oscillatablefeed mechanism supported below said hopper discharge opening comprisinga pair of oscillatable shaft-s, a toothpick discharging member rigidlymounted on each of said shafts, each of said discharging members havinga toothpick supporting ledge said ledges being arranged adjacent to oneanother and adapted upon the oscillation of said member in one directionto receive a single toothpick thereon from said hopper opening and todischarge the received toothpick upon the reverse oscillation of saidmembers, means operatively interconnecting said shafts forsimultaneously oscillating said shafts, and means for retaining andcontrolling the discharge of the toothpicks from said hopper openingoperatively responsive to the oscillation of said discharging memberswhereby only one toothpick will be discharged from said hopper openingto said ledges of said discharging members during a cycle of operation.

3. A toothpick dispensing device as embodied in claim 2, wherein saidshaft interconnecting means comprises a pair of gear segments.

li. A toothpick dispensing device as embodied in claim 2, wherein saidmeans for retaining and controlling` the discharge of the toothpicksfrom said hopper opening comprises an oscillatably supported member, aspring for retaining said retaining and controlling oscillatablysupported member in retaining position, and means associated with 2O oneof said discharging members for moving said retaining and controllingmember against the pressure of said spring into release position torelease the retained toothpick for gravity discharge onto said ledges.5. A toothpick dispensing device as embodied in claim 2, wherein saidmeans for retaining and controlling the discharge of the toothpiclrsfrom said hopper opening comprises an oscillatably supported member, aspring for retaining said retaining and controlling oscillatablysupported member in retaining position, means associated with one ofsaid discharging members for moving said retaining and controllingmember against the pressure of said spring into release position torelease the retained toothpick for gravity discharge onto saidA ledges,and an oscillatable spring pressed support co-operating with saidretaining and controlling member o for supporting a toothpick during thereceiving and discharging operation of said discharging members, saidspring pressed support being adapted to move against the pressure o its'spring to provide clearance upon the engagement by said retaining andcontrolling member, of a toothpick of abnormally increased crosssection.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS TRNOVEC.

